5 Naxals Killed in Dantewada Encounter, 2 Security Personnel Hurt

Security forces said a gunfight broke out after the militants opened fire on them.

Five Naxals were killed while two security personnel have been injured in an encounter with security forces in the Maoist hotbed Dantewada, Chhattisgarh on Saturday.

Officials said the encounter took place early on Saturday morning in Burgam village when a joint squad comprising personnel from CRPF and District Reserve Group (DRG) of state police was out for operations.

“The encounter is still on. Five Naxals have been killed and their bodies are with the forces. An AK series assault rifle has also been recovered,” a senior officer said.

Two DRG men have been injured and have now been evacuated, he added.

The officer said the exact details of the operation will take time to emerge as the encounter spot is deep inside a jungle and cellular phone and wireless connectivity is extremely poor.

Reinforcement teams have been rushed in, the officer said.

The 111th battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is leading the operation, they said.